I need some serious motivation.....

[shilala]

This is all good info. We put excess weight on because we take in more calories than we need. We also live sedentary lives, and the food we eat is packed with way more useless "bad" nutrition we don't need.
Point being, I can exercise myself into a heart attack, but if I don't change the way and amount I eat, the exercise will just make me hungrier and I compensate by eating an extra cake or two.
The EASIEST thing we can do is drink water. Drink 16 ounces before eating anything. Drink water all day long, bordering on a couple gallons, but at least a gallon. That one simple thing requires absolutely no exercise and it'll shed pounds immediately and dramatically.
Once weight starts coming off, it's its own motivator. We start looking for other things we can do. Simple things like eating cereal from a smaller bowl. Having a salad instead of 3 different appetizers when we go out to eat.
Another big one is "stop eating when I'm full". If there are three spoonfuls left in the bowl, it is no longer my job to empty it. If I have half a steak on my plate and I'm full, I put it in the fridge and eat it later (or someone else does).
There are so many simple things we can do that don't require jumping up, buying a gym membership, forcing ourselves to exercise when we hate it, or eating tofu.
It's a progression.
It took me a lot of years to develop habits that caused me to be extremely overweight. I chiseled away at those things on step at a time and took time to make them habit.
For instance, I NEVER drank water. I hated it. It took a month or two to make that change, accept it, and learn to love it.
Then I took another step.
It's taken a couple years to lose 60 pounds and keep it off and stay at a reasonable, healthy weight. I continue to work at finding a balance that I'm happy with. The difference is that now, I'm not afraid to make a change and I don't fight with it. I truly welcome it and enjoy it. It's just as much fun seeking out something healthy to eat as it was eating two boxes of Little Debbie Swiss Rolls a day.
Be patient, my friend. And go find a great big water bottle you can make your best friend. Mine is sitting right in front of me.

[Dave128]

You guys are all awesome. Thank you for sharing what works for you. I'm going to have to digest all of this and find someplace to start my journey.

[Stevez]

Good luck Dave and thanks to all who have replied with suggestions. I too need to desperately lose weight and I go through periods of great motivation and back to slipping for a period of time. These threads help motivate me too and keep us posted Dave. Don't hesitate to PM me if you want a motivational "buddy"! Thanks. Steve

[emopunker2004]

working on giving up soda
I usually have at LEAST 2 20oz bottles of coke a shift at work. Last night I only had one but also drank 80oz of water while at work

If you're a soda drinker, stopping will help alot. Just think. Each 20oz bottle of Coke is 240 calories! That's insane!

[hammondc]

All good advice. Especially the food intake advice. You need a lifestyle change, not a diet. My wife and I committed to that about 7 years ago. No fast food, no soda, no sweets in the house.

[Col. Kurtz]

Originally Posted by OLS

I can tell you one thing I know...workout equipment is fine, but there is no substitute for reduction of calories.
You can try BURNING them all you want, but it's the ones that go IN that are keeping you fat. You must
switch to water ONLY, no sports drinks, no sweet tea, no soft drinks, milk as a reward. You must eat the worst
possible foods, and only keep that stuff on hand. If you can't GIVE your fridge contents away, THROW it away.
Stop eating bread, stop eating much meat. Eat homemade soup for a treat, cereal for breakfast, a bowl of grits
for lunch, oatmeal and some fruit or fish for supper, salads with oil and vinegar dressing only. Mix in some herbs
and garlic for flavor.

People complain all the time about being fat and wanting to NOT be fat. But they keep right on doing the things
they always did, as if finally wanting to be thin is gonna miracle the weight off them. The Biggest Loser is not
popular because it's fun to look at fat people. It's popular because it's amazing to see the kind of commitment
it takes to get thin.

I am struggling for the first time with real weight on my frame. I have never been thin or even fit-looking. But
for the first time ever, laying off something here and something there ain't getting it. I am struggling. These
are the things I learned, but will power is the only way to succeed. In order to quit smoking cigs, which
were killing me, I had to give up three other things...weed, bars and sex. I can have sex again if I want, but I am
too fat for anyone to care. But that shows how you can turn over one rock and just find three more rocks.

Make no mistake, that workout gear is important. It lets you work out without people watching. But you can
work out 24 hours a day and not lose weight, just die. Sit ups are not going to make your belly thin. There will
be a time when they are important, but for now you are in a walk, don't run mode. There was a big fat dude and
a big fat kid "running" down my sidewalk the other day. They stopped and talked to me, and told me they had
decided that being fat just was unacceptable, so they were going to run. I told them, "No, you are just going to
blow both your knees. You have to walk for a year before you start running, you are obese." You aren't going to
be thin tomorrow. You are going to be doing this for years. I was going for a job interview while I was visiting my
mother, and she said that my teeth were dingy, that I should go and get some whitening strips while I was visiting
her. I went into the store and saw they were 50 bucks. I wasn't going to spend that kind of money as funds for
my trip were not limitless. I told her that the stuff doesn't work overnight, why buy it for tomorrow??

The muscles you need to work on now are your brain and your jaw muscles. Start working one and resting the others.
Good luck, I need it too. -- OOPS -- one more thing about the walking. I walk between 1 and 5 miles a day now.
Throughout my life after I got a car at 21, I had been a biker, pedalled everywhere, sometimes 50-60 miles a week.
I had to, I had no car. I could carry 2 PAPER bags of groceries up & down 3-4 hills with no hands (2-3 miles) and STOP
at the house with no hands and not wipe out. Then I got a car and I never looked back. I went from sexy-love-
machine to fat slob. I enjoy walking. There are a few hot girls out, nature is bad-a55, I feel of accomplishment,
and it actually makes you want to do it. You will see. You will not dread walking. IT IS the key to the whole plan.

Lots of cold hard, sterile, metallic, win no friends truth here ^.

I changed my habits about 1.5 years ago.

Dropped sweet sodas (still have a diet once in a while), started packing my lunch everyday instead of swinging by the dollar menu drive thru, and started watching calories very closely. It's amazing what foods "cost". The wife and I have tried very hard to control portions and consider if it's really "worth it" to have that doughnut. Would a snack pack of raisins be better? We eat quite a bit of fresh foods and veggies. Gave up beer almost completely (that hurt). Reduced meats a lot and tried to stay close to a 2-2500 calorie diet.

No real secrets except keeping a close eye on a dietary budget. Started a self prescribed workout routine that is mostly cardio (like they taught me back in middle school gym) 2- 3 times per week. Started push mowing the front acre that the neighbors can see, still ride the back though.

The result? Near 235 Thankgiving 2010. Now I'm at 155 depending on the day. I started feeling much much better about 180. Dropped from pushing out 38 pants to being comfortable in 32's. Very good feeling except for the new clothes bills.

Bottom line is this. There is no magic bullet. Eat less than you use and you will lose weight.

Here's a kick in the pants and positive thoughts and encouragement sent your way. It can be done. Is it easy? Nope. Is it worth it. Absolutely. I have the energy to chase the kids around the yard without passing out.

[Madman31]

Start small. Hang up pics of the body you want. Lift weights to gain muscle. The endorphins you get will keep you going. That's what worked for me!

[Dave128]

Originally Posted by Madman31

Start small. Hang up pics of the body you want. Lift weights to gain muscle. The endorphins you get will keep you going. That's what worked for me!

Thank you. I can do small and simple! It's about all my brain can handle!

[kelmac07]

Watch all the Mets games you can...this will make you furious and make you want to work out...pent up frustration and all. Best of luck Dave.

[Dave128]

Originally Posted by kelmac07

Watch all the Mets games you can...this will make you furious and make you want to work out...pent up frustration and all. Best of luck Dave.

[ashtonlady]

I started my life style change this week. What I leaned yesterday was there is a learing curve. Dont quit because the first day doesnt work the way you though it should. Change it so it works better and as said before start small and add as you go. Find support that will help not tell you what you are doing wrong. You already know it is wrong, sometimes you just need to talk about it to see a diffrent direction to take it.

[PCR]

Please google Scott Cutshall or large fella on a bike. Scott was over 500 pounds and discovered cycling it changed his life. You can do it!

[Dave128]

Originally Posted by ashtonlady

I started my life style change this week. What I leaned yesterday was there is a learing curve. Dont quit because the first day doesnt work the way you though it should. Change it so it works better and as said before start small and add as you go. Find support that will help not tell you what you are doing wrong. You already know it is wrong, sometimes you just need to talk about it to see a diffrent direction to take it.

Thank you. I have a feeling it's going to be along road. One step at a time.

[Dave128]

Originally Posted by PCR

Please google Scott Cutshall or large fella on a bike. Scott was over 500 pounds and discovered cycling it changed his life. You can do it!

Thank you for the info. Funny thing is I pulled my bike out of the shed this past weekend and am going to bring it to be tuned up.

[PCR]

Originally Posted by Dave128

Thank you for the info. Funny thing is I pulled my bike out of the shed this past weekend and am going to bring it to be tuned up.

Good for you! Cycling is an amazing way to better health. Wishing you all the best.

[mmblz]

watch "Fat, Sick, and Nearly Dead"
it's on Netflix streaming.
I'm not overweight but I've started drinking a green smoothie in the morning, and consider trying a stretch of time with only green smoothies...

[SteelCityBoy]

For what it is worth IMO I would suggest you try to find something you like to do. That can be going for a walk outside on a beautiful nature road, or hitting the gym. For everyone it is different. I for example can't stand to run...just don't like it! I would try and try to commit to running 5 miles a day at least 3 times a week and it just wouldn't stick for me. I found mountain biking to be very peaceful and a "fun" way for me to exercise. I am not a super fit guy or anything but I can tell you how amazing it is to me to watch the pounds fall off when you can get into something active that you really enjoy.

I wish you well in your goals. The important thing is to set a goal and a rountine that you like and then do all you can in your power to stick with it. Everyone else already had some great ideas shown so I am sure that with the right routine you put yourself in you will get to where you want to be!

Good luck!

[emopunker2004]

Well i did the stairs 3 times today at work after doing them 2 times for 4 days. 264 steps up and then down, 3 times of that = 792 steps. I feel like I'm gonna die.

[Dave128]

Originally Posted by SteelCityBoy

For what it is worth IMO I would suggest you try to find something you like to do. That can be going for a walk outside on a beautiful nature road, or hitting the gym. For everyone it is different. I for example can't stand to run...just don't like it! I would try and try to commit to running 5 miles a day at least 3 times a week and it just wouldn't stick for me. I found mountain biking to be very peaceful and a "fun" way for me to exercise. I am not a super fit guy or anything but I can tell you how amazing it is to me to watch the pounds fall off when you can get into something active that you really enjoy.

I wish you well in your goals. The important thing is to set a goal and a rountine that you like and then do all you can in your power to stick with it. Everyone else already had some great ideas shown so I am sure that with the right routine you put yourself in you will get to where you want to be!

Good luck!

There are a good number of places around me that I can walk or bike. it's the forcing myself off the couch that gets a bit hard for me. i just have to do it. I've been better this past week, so it's a start.

[Dave128]

Originally Posted by emopunker2004

Well i did the stairs 3 times today at work after doing them 2 times for 4 days. 264 steps up and then down, 3 times of that = 792 steps. I feel like I'm gonna die.

I do five flights to get to my office and I feel like I have to lay down on the floor for 15 minutes to recover! I need some work!